Hotel Shangri-La
The building permit for the Hotel Shangri-La in Santa Monica, a new concrete apartment hotel for 62 families, was filed on February 15, 1939. Designed by William E. Foster and developed under the direction of Frank A. Gillespie, the Shangri-La Apartment Hotel, advertised as “America’s New Design for Living” opened on May 1, 1940. The building’s innovative design maximized open air circulation, incorporating ocean breezes as a cooling element. During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) used the hotel as a rehabilitation station. Despite extensive renovation in 2008, the interior design maintains the original design of the Art Deco period. It is a City of Santa Monica Landmark
Santa Monica, Los Angeles County
Images by Andrew Schmidt